Non Canon character but she so fits, and I must say that I am very satisfied with how she was written in. it was J.r.r. Tolkien's goal that others might expand upon his world and at last it seems at least in Hollywood a tasteful and respectful job has been done when adding Tauriel the ginger headed elf played by the most lovely Evangeline Lilly.
I am an elf person have always been so since my earliest of days portraying them in D and D, though typically I am not of most gamers I do shower and brush my teeth and am excessive in my motivation at work, I would say as far as the lovelies are concerned my Favorite is 1. Tauriel 2. Arwen 3. Galadriel, in the movies.

Oh my. I haven't been on this forum in more than six years, but this is one thing I just can't shut up about. I am also an elf person, and Tauriel is simply a badly written character. The basic idea (a female captain of the guard) had potential, but the result is a combination of all the clichés you find in bad fanfiction. Not to mention that she is utterly unsuited for her military position.

But then... the Mirkwood elves all turned out fairly messed up in the Hobbit as it is.

She was actually shown in BFME2 before her appearance in the movie. I liked her as a character but just the fact that either she or Legolas were in there kind makes me feel like they're betraying the original incarnation of The Hobbit. She's a great actor and alone might have been an interesting new character but I must say I dislike the love triangle that took up around half an hour of the movie.